The Deputy Director General of Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau (IB), Ali Ahmed Sabir, has reportedly told the Senate Standing Committee on the Cabinet Secretariat that intelligence agencies in India and Afghanistan are looking at various options to sabotage or damage the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

"The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) are some of the potential threats to CPEC, as the former is directed towards China which is a prime stakeholder in the project," the Express Tribune quoted Sabir, as saying.

According to the Express Tribune, this is the first time that a state agency has publicly talked about a possible nexus between India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) with regard to sabotaging the CPEC.

The Senate panel has reportedly told all concerned agencies to take all possible measures to ensure the security of CPEC projects, particularly those located in the Gwadar and Gilgit-Baltistan regions.

Intelligence Bureau Director General Aftab Sultan has informed the panel that there is a shortage of manpower, but every effort will be made to prevent subversive or suspicious activities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)